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have been sunk on the underlie. These were not covered, but Mr. Armstrong has arranged to have this done. No. 2 level has been driven a distance of about 270 ft., but work is at present confined to No. 3, where two men are driving. A leader was cut which has not turned out payable. Mr. Bland has delayed in sending in the returns from the battery, but they have only been trials of small quantities. Victory Quartz-mine.— (l 2/3/95) : This lode, which is said to be very rich, was discovered by Messrs. Curtis, who were contractors in the Julian Mine. The mine mouth is about half a chain distant from the Julian boundary, and about 30ft. lower in level than the No. 3 drive in that claim. The lode has been cut at about 60ft. in, and has been driven on for about 40ft.; but this could not be seen for the head-laths. In the face there is 13in. of solid quartz, but which shows no gold. A little further back it is said to be 3ft. in width. Copy of Act, but not at the mine. Air not too good, and a slight sound of gas being given off. As an accident happened near this mine a number of years ago through an explosion of gas in a stone-drift in slate country, I requested Mr. Curtis to examine the mine with a safety-lamp before starting work. Boss. Donnelly's Greek Quartz-mine.— (9/7/94): One man driving to east in No. 2 level, on a new block of stone showing about 4in. wide at the face, at a point about 400 ft. from the mine mouth. Timber sufficient, but air not very strong. One stope working below No. 1 level on a leader 2in. wide, and one man prospecting about 150 ft. in from mine mouth. Copy of Act, but no report kept. Pour men in all employed. Smith aud Party's Quartz-mine.— (9/7/94): This adjoins Donnelly's Creek Mine. A level runs in 110 ft., from which point a shaft is sunk 40ft.; thence No. 2 level runs in 140 ft. In this a leader was-cut at 115 ft., and driven on for 18ft., showing bunchy quartz 3in. or 4in. in width, and at one place nearly 2ft. Three cross-cuts have been driven, but none of these got anything. I drew attention to some loose pieces on the roof and sides, and these are to be taken down or secured. There is a good current of air in sin. pipes, but the latter are not taken far enough in. _ No_ copy of the Act, nor report, but these are to be kept in future. At date of writing no work is being done, but the claim is protected. G. Porter's Prospecting Tunnel. —(9/7/94): No one about, as work was stopped for the day. It is about 140 yards to the face, which is being driven in slate country. At a point about ninety yards in some timbering is required. I afterwards saw Mr. Porter, who agreed to attend to it. Zala's Quartz-mines. —(6/7/94): These are several drives which have been put in by Mr. Zala singlehanded during the past six years. Their position is inland from Boss, on Farmer's Creek, at a considerable elevation. The rocks are slates and indurated sandstones, and are probably an extension of the Beefton mineral belt. No. 1 tunnel has been driven about a chain, on two leaders all the way, both said to be auriferous. At the face only one leader is to be seen, which at the floor is 6in. in width, but it thins to lin. higher up, where it is bent over by a slide. No. 2 tunnel was driven on a leader which turned out barren. No. 3 tunnel has cut through a barren reef, and strikes the auriferous lode at 42ft., continuing on it to the face at 80ft. It there shows 6in. of solid stone, and various leaders; total thickness, about 20in. of quartz. No. 4 tunnel has been driven a distance of about 220 ft., and has cut through three leaders and the barren reef. Two of the leaders are said to be gold-bearing, and one of these, cut at 160 ft., is 6in. in width. About sixteen yards from the mine mouth a cross-cut has been driven for 95ft., the face of which is standing on a leader on which Mr. Zala intends to continue driving. Off this cross-cut there are three or four short drives. Mr. Zala has shown great perseverance under difficulties of no ordinary kind, but whether he has discovered a payable reef or leader is still undecided, as he has not crushing appliances to test a sufficiently large quantity. At date of writing he is making arrangements to have a small battery erected. Accidents. 1. Two miners, named George Moyes and Bichard Leggoe, working in the United Alpine Mine, on 9th April, after charging two shot-holes, retired to less than the ordinary distance, and, after hearing one go off, returned, in violation of the Act, almost directly, and, when trying to relight the fuse, the second charge went off, causing loss of sight to both, and otherwise injuring Moyes. 2. A miner named John Bray, working in the Wealth of Nations Mine, on the 16th August, attempted, in contravention of the Act, to draw a charge of gelignite which had missed fire, and, while doing so, it exploded, shattering his hand. 3. James Lafferty was killed in his alluvial claim at Kanieri, on the 24th September, by a fall of stone and gravel, to secure which his mate had just gone out for a cap-piece, as it was not considered safe. ALLUVIAL MINING. Mahakipawa. Hibernian Extended Claim.— (9/6/94): Mr. Darvil is now the owner of this claim, which is worked on tribute by two shifts of four men each, Mr. Law being still manager. As usual, the water is giving much trouble, the mine only having got pumped out three days ago after being flooded out for ten days, and is idle again to-day on account of last night's rain. There is still about 160 ft. of ground to work to the south and 25ft. to the north boundary, as well as two small blocks in the centre of the claim. King Solomon Claim,— (9/6/94): Mr. Barry was in charge, in the absence of Mr. Wearne. Blocking-out is now being done 50ft. away from the southern boundary ; there is about 3ft. 6in. of auriferous drift, and the lead is about 17ft. in width. Air rather poor, as the pipes are too far back. Some of the timbering requiring attention. Nine men in all employed.